California surf school owner suspected of stabbing his two children to death

Matthew Coleman’s wife reported he and their two children, aged 3 and 1, were missing shortly before the children’s bodies were found in Mexico

Matthew Taylor Coleman (Lovewater Surf)

A California surfing school owner has been arrested at the US-Mexico border for allegedly stabbing to death his two young children, aged three and one, in Mexico.

Matthew Taylor Coleman, 40, of Santa Barbara, was detained by US Customs and Border Protection agents while crossing into the United States at the San Ysidro checkpoint and remained in federal custody, Mexican authorities said.

The arrest came after the bodies of two children, a three-year-old girl and one-year-old boy, were found on Monday morning by a farmworker at a ranch near Rosarito in Baja California, said Hiram Sanchez, Baja California’s attorney general.

According to Mr Sanchez, both children appeared to have stab wounds to their bodies consistent with a wooden stake found nearby, which is considered a possible murder weapon.

The girl had been stabbed 12 times, and the boy was stabbed 17 times, Mr Sanchez said.

Law enforcement in Mexico found Mr Coleman and the children had checked into a Rosarito hotel on Saturday, but video footage showed them leaving at 3am on Monday.

Mr Coleman was seen returning alone to the hotel at 6.33am, and checking out of the hotel at just after 9.30am.

Police in Santa Barbara said Mr Coleman’s wife Abby Coleman had reported them missing and said she was concerned for their well-being.

Mr Coleman could be extradited to Mexico to face charges of aggravated murder. If convicted, he faces up to 60 years in prison.

Mr Coleman founded the Lovewater Surf School Santa Barbara, northwest of Los Angeles, authorities said.

According to a biography for Mr Coleman on the surf school’s website, he moved to San Sebastian in Spain to teach English and surf.

He used Spain as a base to go on a “surf mission to 20 plus countries around Europe and the world”, the website says.

Mr Coleman returned to the United States in 2009 where he completed a Masters degree in higher education from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

The bio states he spent 10 years working for a non-profit which used surfing to mentor the “community’s youth” before establishing the surf school with his wife Abby.

A Facebook account which has been identified as belonging to Mr Coleman was filled with biblical references.

An FBI office in Los Angeles released a statement to say they were assisting Mexican authorities with the investigation.

“The FBI is working with police in Santa Barbara following a report they received about three missing persons - one adult male and his two children who are believed to have crossed the southern border into Mexico. 

“A joint investigation is underway among the Santa Barbara Police Department, the FBI in Los Angeles and San Diego, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Mexican authorities. Currently, the adult male is in federal custody and the investigation is continuing.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Correction: This article originally reported that charges had been filed. We regret the error.